Soledad O'Brien

Now, we haven't mentioned this yet, but Mitchell also testified at Ray's trial about what he had seen that day. He said in court that on his jog, he'd passed a woman whose clothing matched Mary's, and shortly after, he passed a black man following her from behind. He described Mary's clothes precisely. Then he described Raymond Crump's build and clothing.

Now, we haven't mentioned this yet, but Mitchell also testified at Ray's trial about what he had seen that day. He said in court that on his jog, he'd passed a woman whose clothing matched Mary's, and shortly after, he passed a black man following her from behind. He described Mary's clothes precisely. Then he described Raymond Crump's build and clothing.

Mitchell helped the prosecution put Ray Crump Jr. on the towpath. He'd done his part to help the prosecution's case. And he was an upstanding Army officer who worked at the Pentagon. So the prosecution couldn't ask for a more credible witness, right? Well, not exactly. Janney and his research team — yeah, by now he had a team — found that Mitchell's military records didn't make sense.

Mitchell helped the prosecution put Ray Crump Jr. on the towpath. He'd done his part to help the prosecution's case. And he was an upstanding Army officer who worked at the Pentagon. So the prosecution couldn't ask for a more credible witness, right? Well, not exactly. Janney and his research team — yeah, by now he had a team — found that Mitchell's military records didn't make sense.

Mitchell's stories about his past, his whereabouts, and his official military records contradicted each other, time and time again. Fishy. But it wasn't just that. No one could verify Mitchell had even been on the towpath the day of Mary's murder. And Janney and his researchers found that Mitchell had changed his name throughout the years.

Mitchell's stories about his past, his whereabouts, and his official military records contradicted each other, time and time again. Fishy. But it wasn't just that. No one could verify Mitchell had even been on the towpath the day of Mary's murder. And Janney and his researchers found that Mitchell had changed his name throughout the years.

At some point, he also started using a second social security number. To Janney, that was extra fishy. Janney even went so far as to serve William Mitchell with a complaint, alleging that he had been part of a conspiracy to murder Mary Meyer. It required Mitchell to appear in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

At some point, he also started using a second social security number. To Janney, that was extra fishy. Janney even went so far as to serve William Mitchell with a complaint, alleging that he had been part of a conspiracy to murder Mary Meyer. It required Mitchell to appear in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

When the two men finally met, Janney reported that William Mitchell answered, "'I don't remember,' or, "'I don't remember that,' to nearly every single question he was asked about his past and about the day of Mary's murder." Assuming what Janney says is true, that's a bit odd. I mean, to not remember anything?

When the two men finally met, Janney reported that William Mitchell answered, "'I don't remember,' or, "'I don't remember that,' to nearly every single question he was asked about his past and about the day of Mary's murder." Assuming what Janney says is true, that's a bit odd. I mean, to not remember anything?

So Janney and his military researcher put two and two together and came up with a theory that William Mitchell worked for the CIA. When a patchwork of military records and aliases and social security numbers don't tell a rational story, the researcher said, it's a telltale sign that a person works in intelligence. Yep, it still sounds a bit crazy, right?

So Janney and his military researcher put two and two together and came up with a theory that William Mitchell worked for the CIA. When a patchwork of military records and aliases and social security numbers don't tell a rational story, the researcher said, it's a telltale sign that a person works in intelligence. Yep, it still sounds a bit crazy, right?

But Janney takes his theory one step further. Yes, Mitchell did have several aliases and more than one social security number. But Janney then theorized that Mitchell was not only CIA, but also part of the team that took Mary out. He argues Mitchell was part of a large and well-prepared team. They learned Mary's routine and chose the towpath to make her murder look like a random act of violence.

But Janney takes his theory one step further. Yes, Mitchell did have several aliases and more than one social security number. But Janney then theorized that Mitchell was not only CIA, but also part of the team that took Mary out. He argues Mitchell was part of a large and well-prepared team. They learned Mary's routine and chose the towpath to make her murder look like a random act of violence.

If she'd been murdered in her bed, it would have seemed more personal. Finally, on the day that a believable patsy showed up on the towpath, a patsy who happened to be Raymond Crump there for his affair with Vivian, the operation team would have quickly procured a hitman.

If she'd been murdered in her bed, it would have seemed more personal. Finally, on the day that a believable patsy showed up on the towpath, a patsy who happened to be Raymond Crump there for his affair with Vivian, the operation team would have quickly procured a hitman.

who closely enough resembled Ray, clothes that closely enough matched what Ray was wearing, and then sent the hitman to do the dirty work. There are a lot of jumps here, but the theory goes Mitchell was a CIA operative with one cut-and-dry mission in Mary's death, to put the blame on Ray Crumple.

who closely enough resembled Ray, clothes that closely enough matched what Ray was wearing, and then sent the hitman to do the dirty work. There are a lot of jumps here, but the theory goes Mitchell was a CIA operative with one cut-and-dry mission in Mary's death, to put the blame on Ray Crumple.

Some people are more prone to believe conspiracy theories than others. So we really wanted to dig into the psychology behind them. When we spoke with psychology professor Joe Pierre earlier in the episode, he had a lot more to say about that world. And it helped illuminate why so many would feel the allure of a conspiracy with Mary's murder.

Some people are more prone to believe conspiracy theories than others. So we really wanted to dig into the psychology behind them. When we spoke with psychology professor Joe Pierre earlier in the episode, he had a lot more to say about that world. And it helped illuminate why so many would feel the allure of a conspiracy with Mary's murder.